Circuit-closer for telegraph-keys.



No- 813,512. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906. H. R. NEVENS.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR TELEGRAPH KEYS.

APPLICATION FILED mm; 14, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orr on.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR TELEGRAPH-KEYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1906.

Application filed June 14, 1905. Serial No. 265,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT R. NEvENs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Portland, county of Cumberland, State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit- Closers for Telegraph-Keys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a circuit-closer for telegraph-keys; and the particular object of the invention is to construct such a device in which the circuit-closer will remain open until it is touched, and will then close with a spring.

It is a common cause of trouble with telegraph keys that the circuit closing lever, which is held closed by friction with the switch, will accidentally open by reason of the jar of railroad-trains, carelessly throwing books or papers against it, and other accidental causes, and it often happens also that the o erator is careless in closing his lever and that the same does not bring it in contact with the switch. It is to remedy these difiiculties for which my invention is designed; and it consists, broadly, of a circuitclosing lever having a closing-spring so applied to it that the spring tends to hold it in its extreme position while closing it when the lever is slightly moved out of its open position. Thus with one movement of the fingers the switch is thrown open where it is held by the action of the spring, but with the slightest touch the spring closes it with a sharp motion, holding it firmly closed and in contact with the switch.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawings, which show a telegraph-key of ordinary construction with my invention applied thereto.

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

In the drawings, B is the base-plate, and A is the trunnion-lever.

C represents the circuit closing lever proper, and D is the switch. The lever C is limited as to its opening motion by a stop, here shown as the bearing or stud a, against which it hits when open.

A spring is applied in such a way as to hold it in its outer position and to close it when it is slightly moved toward its closed position. As here shown, a spiral spring acts to close the lever, and when the lever is open the spring passes in line with a pivotal point of the lever. For the purpose of making the device very sensitive I make use of what is essentially a compound lever with a large and small member, and I apply the spring to the small member, causing it to draw across the pivotal center of the small lever, whereby the spring is quickly brought to a position to act by reason of the multiplying of the motion due to the small lever.

The form of lever preferably used and here shown is a geared segment f, formed on an arm of lever C, and a pinion E, having gearteeth to engage the teeth on the segment, the two constituting what is essentially a compound lever with two pivots.

The lever C has a pivot formed by the screw-pots c, and the pinion E is pivoted by a screw 2. The spiral spring f is fixed at one end to the post 0 by means of the adjustingbar and nut 9, while the other end of the spring is secured to a post 6 on the pinion. The connection is made in such a way that when the lever C is in its open position the spring f will be in line with the center of the pivot e, passing over said pivot,-which is thus placed in the position of a dead-center. At the slightest movement of the lever C in the direction of closing the. pinion is rotated, and the post 6 quickly swings away from the line of the center, and the action of the spring is then brought to bear for closing the lever. Thus when the lever is thrown open it remains open by the action of the spring pulling on a dead-center, but with the slightest touch it closes immediately. The switch is composed of the flat spring D and a Washer d beneath it, preferably of rubber or some yielding material. This rubber washer takes the blow of the closing-lever, and the fiat spring maintains a good contact.

It is evident that either a compound lever, as here shown, may be used or the single circuit-closing lever may be used alone, so long as the spring holds the lever open and the same spring closes it.

I claim- 1. In a telegraph circuit-closer, the combination of a circuit-closing lever and a spring arranged to hold said lever in its extreme open position and to close it when moved from said open position.

2. In a telegraph circuit-closer the combination of a circuit-closing lever and a spiral spring for closing said lever fixed at one end and secured to said lever at the other end, said spring located in line with the pivotal center of said lever when the same is in its extreme open position.

3. In a telegraph circuit-closer, the combination of a circuit-closing lever, a stop for limiting its opening movement and a spring arranged to hold said lever against said stop and to close it When moved from said stop.

4. In a telegraph circuit-closer, the combination of a compound circuit-closing lever composed of a larger circuit-closing lever proper and a small auxiliarylever and aspiral spring for closing said lever fixed at one end and having the other end secured to said auxiliarylever said spring located in line with the pivotal center of said small lever When the lever is in its extreme open position.

5. In a telegraph circuit-closer the combination of a circuit-closing lever proper having a segment thereon, a pinion engaging said segment and a spiral spring for closing the lever fixed at one end and having the other end secured to said pinion said spring located in line With the pivotal center of said pinion When the lever is in its extreme open position.

Signed at Portland this 23d day of May, 1905.

HERBERT R. N EVENS.

Witnesses:

S. W. BATES, C. M. GODFREY. 

